Latest news with #CapitolSecurity
San Francisco Chronicle
26-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Man with mental health issues found naked in Minnesota Capitol, raising new security concerns
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A naked man with apparent mental health issues was found in the Minnesota State Capitol late at night, officials said Saturday, raising questions about security after the top Democrat in the state House was killed in what authorities have called a political assassination. The discovery just six weeks after the fatal shooting of Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman prompted the top House and Senate Republican leaders to demand answers about how it happened and what steps might be taken to prevent it from happening again. The man was found in the Senate chamber around 11:30 p.m. Friday, the chief House sergeant-at-arms, Lori Hodapp, said in an email to representatives. 'The individual made statements indicating a belief that he was the Governor, among other remarks, and was found disrobed,' Hodapp said. Capitol Security responded promptly, she said, and the man was taken to a St. Paul hospital for evaluation. He was deemed not to be a threat to himself or others and was released, but he returned to the Capitol grounds at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. 'An investigation is currently underway to determine how the individual gained access to the Senate Chamber and Capitol facilities after hours," Hodapp wrote. "We are examining all aspects of this incident to address any security concerns.' The sergeant-at-arms also said the man had an active probation-violation warrant from Wisconsin on his record, but that it did not initially allow for his transfer. It has since been updated, she added 'and appropriate measures will be taken upon next contact.' 'It's frustrating that an individual with a criminal history was able to allegedly vandalize the Capitol and unlawfully trespass in the Senate chamber without being taken into custody,' Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said in a statement. 'Anyone who trespasses in any building — let alone the State Capitol — should be arrested and prosecuted for breaking the law, and I look forward to learning why this did not take place in this highly disturbing incident.' GOP Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks, also expressed disappointment. 'We are living in a heightened threat environment,' Johnson said in a statement. "I expect the State Patrol and Capitol Security teams will thoroughly review what happened and give Capitol officials and staff, and the public, their assurances that this will not happen again.' The head of the State Patrol, Col. Christina Bogojevic, said there was no immediate indication that the man broke into the Capitol, which is open to the public during business hours. She said officials were reviewing security video to try to determine his exact whereabouts while he was inside. Bogojevic said the man was nonviolent when he was spotted on the Capitol grounds Saturday morning, and he was taken back to the same hospital for another evaluation. 'The safety and well-being of everyone who works at and visits the Capitol is our top priority,' Bogojevic said in a statement. 'We take this situation seriously and are committed to understanding how it occurred.' Legislative and administration leaders have begun discussions about whether security at the Capitol and for lawmakers should be tightened following the June 14 shootings that left Hortman and her husband dead, and a state senator and his wife seriously injured. Authorities say they were attacked at their homes by a man disguised as a police officer. The alleged gunman, Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, is facing federal and state murder charges and other counts. His lawyer says he plans to plead not guilty at his federal arraignment, which has been rescheduled to Aug. 7 from Sept. 12.
Winnipeg Free Press
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Man with mental health issues found naked in Minnesota Capitol, raising new security concerns
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A naked man with apparent mental health issues was found in the Minnesota State Capitol late at night, officials said Saturday, raising questions about security after the top Democrat in the state House was killed in what authorities have called a political assassination. The discovery just six weeks after the fatal shooting of Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman prompted the top House and Senate Republican leaders to demand answers about how it happened and what steps might be taken to prevent it from happening again. The man was found in the Senate chamber around 11:30 p.m. Friday, the chief House sergeant-at-arms, Lori Hodapp, said in an email to representatives. 'The individual made statements indicating a belief that he was the Governor, among other remarks, and was found disrobed,' Hodapp said. Capitol Security responded promptly, she said, and the man was taken to a St. Paul hospital for evaluation. He was deemed not to be a threat to himself or others and was released, but he returned to the Capitol grounds at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. 'An investigation is currently underway to determine how the individual gained access to the Senate Chamber and Capitol facilities after hours,' Hodapp wrote. 'We are examining all aspects of this incident to address any security concerns.' The sergeant-at-arms also said the man had an active probation-violation warrant from Wisconsin on his record, but that it did not initially allow for his transfer. It has since been updated, she added 'and appropriate measures will be taken upon next contact.' 'It's frustrating that an individual with a criminal history was able to allegedly vandalize the Capitol and unlawfully trespass in the Senate chamber without being taken into custody,' Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said in a statement. 'Anyone who trespasses in any building — let alone the State Capitol — should be arrested and prosecuted for breaking the law, and I look forward to learning why this did not take place in this highly disturbing incident.' GOP Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks, also expressed disappointment. 'We are living in a heightened threat environment,' Johnson said in a statement. 'I expect the State Patrol and Capitol Security teams will thoroughly review what happened and give Capitol officials and staff, and the public, their assurances that this will not happen again.' The head of the State Patrol, Col. Christina Bogojevic, said there was no immediate indication that the man broke into the Capitol, which is open to the public during business hours. She said officials were reviewing security video to try to determine his exact whereabouts while he was inside. Bogojevic said the man was nonviolent when he was spotted on the Capitol grounds Saturday morning, and he was taken back to the same hospital for another evaluation. 'The safety and well-being of everyone who works at and visits the Capitol is our top priority,' Bogojevic said in a statement. 'We take this situation seriously and are committed to understanding how it occurred.' Legislative and administration leaders have begun discussions about whether security at the Capitol and for lawmakers should be tightened following the June 14 shootings that left Hortman and her husband dead, and a state senator and his wife seriously injured. Authorities say they were attacked at their homes by a man disguised as a police officer. The alleged gunman, Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, is facing federal and state murder charges and other counts. His lawyer says he plans to plead not guilty at his federal arraignment, which has been rescheduled to Aug. 7 from Sept. 12.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michigan Capitol security under review after Ted Nugent brings gun through detector
LANSING — Rock musician and outdoorsman Ted Nugent brought a prohibited gun through Capitol security when he testified before a committee June 25, officials said. Some observers noticed Nugent appeared to be armed when he testified before the House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee in opposition to certain state hunting regulations. State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, a member of a House Oversight subcommittee that was meeting jointly with the natural resources committee, said in a June 26 post on Instagram that "pretty early on" in Nugent's testimony "we recognized that he was carrying a gun." Members flagged House sergeants, who took no immediate action, Pohutsky said. She said she decided to post on social media about the incident because she wants answers as to what happened and assurances the issue of Capitol security is being taken seriously. "It's obviously not acceptable," she said. Shanon Banner, a spokeswoman for the MSP, said June 27 that Nugent was screened at the north entrance of the Capitol June 25 by walking through weapons detection equipment that all visitors are required to pass through. "The weapons detection system functioned correctly and alerted to a possible weapon; however, the trooper staffing the entry point did not see the alert until after Mr. Nugent left the screening area," Banner said. "Upon completing his meeting, MSP personnel contacted Mr. Nugent and notified him of the weapons policy," Banner said. "We are still evaluating how the weapons detection alert was missed and will be following up to ensure this does not happen again." The MSP security failure occurred as MSP Col. James Grady, who is facing criticism from troopers, command officers and Republican lawmakers over a number of issues, is expected to testify July 1 before the House Oversight Committee, in connection with the committee's investigation into MSP leadership, according to Rep. Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, the committee chairman. Under rules set by the Michigan Capitol Commission in 2021 and 2023, carrying firearms is mostly banned in the Capitol, with a few exceptions for law enforcement, security and sitting lawmakers with concealed carry permits. A phone message and email left June 27 with Nugent's Michigan office seeking comment were not immediately returned. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ted Nugent brings gun into Michigan Capitol
CBS News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Gov. Tim Walz says Legislature should reconsider guns at Capitol complex in wake of lawmaker shootings
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Thursday the Legislature should reconsider allowing people to carry firearms inside the State Capitol in wake of the shootings of two lawmakers and their spouses inside their homes over the weekend. State law allows handguns at the Capitol so long as someone has a permit to carry. But any state court can limit firearms within its own buildings, and that includes the Minnesota Judicial Center, where the Minnesota Supreme Court has proceedings on the Capitol complex. "I think there's going to be a conversation, and this will be a broader one, in the legislature and with us of what we can do to provide that kind of security," Walz told reporters Thursday. "I think the conversation will come up at the Capitol. I made no bones about it that I think it's inappropriate that we carry firearms in the Capitol, and I think we have to reassess that." The shooting of DFL Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and the killing of DFL Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, which officials described as a politically motivated assassination, has upended lawmakers' sense of safety. Authorities said the accused killer had a hit list that included the names of 45 state and federal elected officials who are Democrats. Walz's comments came after there was a "threat of violence" to the Capitol building on Wednesday, according to a statement Thursday from the House Republican Caucus spokeswoman. GOP Rep. Jim Nash notified law enforcement and the House Sergeant at Arms of a text message a constituent received that was "threatening in nature," according to the news release. The person who allegedly sent it was arrested and is in Carver County Jail. "The threat was not aimed at any particular lawmaker but the message did include a threat of violence at the Capitol," the statement said. Prohibiting guns at the State Capitol would require the Legislature's approval, which is unlikely in the tied House and DFL-led Senate. Rob Doar, senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, in a social media post said that doing so won't prevent bad actors from committing violence. "It only disarms the very people with the strongest incentive to protect life: themselves and their colleagues," he wrote. "Security theater isn't security. Constitutional rights don't vanish at the Capitol steps." The tragedy has renewed a debate about security at the capitol complex more broadly. Right now there is no single point of entry or security screening to enter the capitol building, and some believe that should change. Others are adamant the building should remain as accessible to the public as Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security in its recent report said there has been $19 million allocated for security upgrades at the complex over the last five years. Part of their mission statement is that the "Capitol, Minnesota Senate, and State Office Buildings must remain open in both reality and perception."
Washington Post
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Lawmakers on edge as statehouse security tightens after Minnesota shootings
MADISON, Wis. — Anxious lawmakers convened Wednesday under heightened security in Wisconsin's state Capitol, one of the most publicly accessible statehouses in the country, days after a legislator and her husband in neighboring Minnesota were shot and killed at their home and others were targeted. The tension playing out in Wisconsin and other states after the Minnesota killings pits those who want to keep state capitols as open and accessible as possible against those concerned about increasing threats and acts of violence against officeholders.
